Latch device

ABSTRACT

Latch device for street lighting luminaires for latching a refractor closure to the luminaire housing. Latch lever arm extending through opening in front of closure member has latch spring detachably connected to it. The spring engages an integrally formed catch on the front surface of the luminaire housing. The lever arm has pivot pins cooperating with spaced upper and lower journal bearings formed on the closure member. The lever arm can be removed through the inner side of the closure member only after the latch spring is detached from the lever arm.

United States Patent Abercrombie u 3,704,906 51 Dec. 5, 1972 l 54] LATCHDEVICE [72] Inventor: Jonathan C. Abercrombie, East Flat Rock,N.C. [73]Assignee: General Electric Company I [22 Filed: Sept. 14,1970

[211 Appl.No.: 71,906

[521 U.s .c1 ..292/247,292/mo.'49 511 int. Cl ..E05c 5/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..292/247, 257, 258,288,113,

292/DIG. 49, DIG. 42, 71

[56] e References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 323,830 8/1885 Seymour..292/247 1,901,974 3/1933 Macy ...292/24l X 2,154,001 4/1939 Green..292/1l3 3,479,701 11/1969 Zerfoss ..292/247 X Primary Examiner-RichardE. Moore Attorney-Sidney Greenberg, J. Wesley Haubner, Frank L.Neuhauser, Oscar B. Waddell and Joseph B. Forman [57] ABSTRACT Latchdevice for street lighting luminaires for latching a refractor closureto the luminaire housing. Latch lever arm extending through opening infront of closure member has. latch spring detachably connected to it.The spring engages an integrally formed catch on the front surface ofthe luminaire housing. The lever arm has pivot pins cooperating withspaced upper and lower journal bearings formed on the closure member.The lever arm can be removed through the inner side of the closuremember only after the latch spring is detached from the lever arm.

10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDUEE '5 I912 SHEET 1 0F 3PATENTEDHEB" 5 1912' SHEET 3 I]? .3

. LATCH DEVICE The present invention relates 'to a latch device, andmore particularly to alatchingmechanism adapted for releasably fasteninga closure to a luminaire housing.

It is an object of theiinvention to provide a latch device which has aminimum of :parts, is readily and economically manufactured andinstalled,is simple and rugged in construction, and reliably andsecurely fastens the parts of aclosure assembly together while beingeasily manipulated for opening and closing the same.

It is a particular object of theinvention to provide a latch device oftheabove type for therefractor closure assembly in street lightingluminaire.

- Another object of theinvention is to providea latch device of the.above type whereinno fastening hardware isrequirecl to hold the assemblytogether.

Other objects andadvantages will become apparent from the followingdescription and the appended claims.

With the above objects in view,'the present invention relates in apreferred embodiment to a closure device comprising a housing,closuremeans movably secured to the housing for movement betweenclosedand open positions relative to the housing, and latching meansforreleasably securing the closure means to the housing in closedassembly, the latching means comprising a catch on the housing,'upperand lowerjournal bearing means formed on the closure means defining apivot axisand each comprising spaced journal bearings, the upper and.:lower :journal bearing means defining a laterally extendingopeningtherebetween, a lever havthe spring means being movable intolatched and unlatched positions upon turning of the lever about thepivot axis in snap-over-center movements.

The invention will be better understood from the fol-. lowingdescription taken in conjunction with the accompanyingrdrawings,inwhich:

FIG. lis an elevational-view partly in section of a luminaireembodyingthe invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view partly in section, of Q the frontportion of the FIG. 1 luminaire showing the latching deviceof theinvention in latched position;

FIG. 1, there is shown a street lighting luminaire in which theinvention is embodied and which comprises an elongated upper housing Imounted at its rear end towards the bottom of housing 1, and is suitablyFIG. 3 is asimilar view showing the latching device in secured, as byscrews 2a or. other means, to the housing. Lamp 5 is arranged withinreflector 2 and threadably secured at its baseend to Iampholder 6. Thebottom of housing 1 is closed by closure member 4 which is formed at itsfront end with a retaining frame 4a in which refractor3 is mounted.Closure member 4 is hingedly connected at its rear end to housing 1 bysuitable hinge meanstnot shown) for opening and closing movementrelativeto the housing. Closure member 4 is releasably attached at itsfront end by latch mechanism 7. constructed in accordance with thepresent invention, as more fully described hereinafter. Upon release oflatch 7, closure member 4 with refractor 3 retained therein may be swungdownwardly about its hinge connection at its rearend, as indicated bythe interrupted lines, to provide access to the interior of theluminaire housing for re-lamping or other servicing operations. Uponclosing refractor closure 4 and latching it to housing .l,refractor 3 isbrought into tight sealing engagement with the gasketed flange 2b ofreflector 2.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention,

there is provided alatch mechanism 7 comprising an operating lever arm 8(see FIG. 5) integrally formed at mediate their ends for' respectivelyreceiving the free ends 9a, 9b of a bent generally U-shaped latch spring9. Between pins 8a, 8b, lever arm 8 is formed with an intermediatejournal portion 8m. The end portions of pins 8a, 8b have flat rearsurfaces, and those portions of pins 8a, 8b outwardly adjacent toflanges 8c, 8d have flat front. faces 83, 8h. Pins 8a, 8b are furtherformed with angular projections 8i, 8k spaced inwardly from the ends ofthe pins. I

Closure member 4, is formed at its front end with a recessed portion 11for receiving, retaining, and defining operational limits of latch lever8. Outer journal bearings 10a and 10b (see FIG. 6) are formed in bearingbosses 10,10 at opposite sides of recess 11 in closure member 4forreceiving theends of opposite pins 8a, 8b, thus retaining lever arm 8(see FIG. 4). A lower ledge extends between bearing bosses 10,10 as seenbest in FIG. 6. An upper ledge 12 formed integrally with closure 4extends above lower ledge 10c parallel thereto and spaced therefrom soas to define an elongated laterally extending opening 14. The ends ofledge 12 which are formed with inner journal bearings 12a, 12b arespaced inwardly of bosses 10,10, the arrangement being such that bothinner and outer journal bearings have a common axis.

Upper housing 1 is recessed in its front end and is formed therein withan integral ledge or catch 1a (see FIGS. 3 and 4). In the installed,latched position of latch mechanism 7 as seen in FIG. 2, lever arm 8 isarranged extending downwardly below closure member 4 with its pivot pins8a, 8b engaging journal bearings 12a,

12b and journal portion 8m engaging the underside of ledge 12, andwiththe bight portion 9c of spring 9 in engagement with catch la. Inbeing moved to this latching position,lever arm 8 is snapped overcenter, so that spring 9 resiliently holds housing 1 and closure member4 in firmly closed assembly.

To release the latch, lever arm 8 is turned in the direction of thearrow shown in FIG. 2 so as to release spring 9 from housing catch la asshown in FIG. 3 and permit closure 4 to be swung downwardly to openposition. During such turning of lever arm 8, the curved portions of thepivot pins opposite fiat surfaces 83, 8h respectively rotatably bear onupper (inner) journal bearings 12a, 12b, and intermediate journalportion 8m bears on the lower surface of ledge 12, as is evident inFIGS. 2 and 3.-

In the assembly of lever arm 8 with closure member 4, projections 8i, 8kon lever arm 8 formed between the pin bearingsurfaces are arrangedoutwardly adjacent the outer ends of ledge 12, so that during theturning movement of lever arm 8, projections 8i, 8k serve as guides orretaining means for holding lever arm 8 against substantial lateralshifting relative to ledge 12.

.To assemble the latching mechanism, lever arm 8 with spring 9 removedis inserted as shown in FIG. 7

from the inside of closure member 4 through opening 14 between ledge 12and ledge 10c in the direction indicated by the arrow. The cut-away flatsurfaces at the ends of pins 8a, 8b and the similar cut-away pinsurfaces 8g, 8h permit the lever pin portion to clear the upwardprojections of bosses l0, l0 and the downward projections at the end ofledge 12 so that lever arm 8 may be moved into operative position asshown in FIG. 3 When lever arm 8 is thus installed, spring 9 is readilyassembled therewith by pressing together the free ends of the spring andinserting them in recesses 8e, 8f in the lever arm flanges 8c, 8d. Withspring 9 thus in place, lever arm 8 cannot be disassembled from closuremember 4, since any attempt to'move arm 8 back into closure member 4when in the position shown in FIG. 3 will result in the free ends ofspring 9 coming into contact with stop bosses 15, 15a formed at oppositesides of recess 1 1 in closure member 4 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Only byfirst removing spring9 from lever 8 can the latter be moved back intoclosure member 4 for disassembly therefrom. In such reverse movement oflever arm 8, the latter must be in the position shown in FIG. 3 toenable its cut-away pin surfaces to clear the projections of bosses 10,10' and ledge 12 as previously described, so that lever arm 8 can beentirely removed.

While the present invention has been described with reference toparticular embodiments thereof, it will be understood that numerousmodifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actuallydeparting from the scope of the invention. Therefore, the appendedclaims are intended to cover all such equivalent variations as comewithin the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

l. A closure device comprising, in combination, a housing, closure meansmovably secured to said housing for movement between closed and openpositions relative to said housing, and latching means for rele sablsecurin said losure means and said housing in close assembfi', Sal;latching means comprising a catch on said housing, upper and lowerjournal bearing means formed on said closure means defining a pivot axisand each comprising spaced journal bearings, said upper and lowerjournal bearing means defining a laterally extending openingtherebetween, a lever having one end thereof formed with oppositelaterally projecting pivot pins, said pivot pins arranged in saidjournal bearings in separable engagement therewith, said lever beingturnable about said pivot axis between latched and unlatched positions,said lever being movablethrough said opening when in unlatched positionfor assembly and disassembly from said closure means, and elongatedspring means pivotally secured at one end to said lever and engageableat its other end with said housing catch, said spring means beingmovable into latched and unlatched positions upon turning of said leverabout said pivot axis in snap-over-center movements.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, the journal bearings of said upperjournal bearing means being laterally spaced from the journal bearingsof said lower journal bearing means.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, the journal bearings of said upperjournal bearing means being spaced laterally inwardly from the journalbearings of said lower journal bearing means.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, said spring means being detachablysecured at said one end to said lever, and stop means on said closuremeans adjacent said lever for preventing movement of said spring meansthrough said opening with said lever, whereby disassembly of said leverfrom said closure means is enabled only after detachment of said springmeans therefrom.

5. A device as defined in claim 3, said lever at said one end havingprojecting retaining means arranged outwardly adjacent said upperjournal bearings.

6. A device as defined in claim 5, said projecting pivot pins havingrecessed end portions for clearing said lower journal bearing means whensaid lever is moved through said opening in unlatched position.

7. A device as defined in claim 6, said pivot pins having recessedportions inwardly of said end portions for clearing said upper journalbearing means when said lever is moved through said opening in unlatchedposition.

8. A device as defined in claim 1, said catch comprising a projectionintegral with said housing.

9. A device as defined in claim 1, said elongated spring means being inbent generally U-shaped form having a bight portion engageable with saidhousing catch and having laterally extending free ends detachablyconnected to said lever and projecting laterally therefrom, and stopmeans on said closure means adjacent said lever for preventing movementof said spring means through said opening with said lever, wherebydisassembly of said lever from said closure means is enabled only afterdetachment of said spring means therefrom.

10. A device as defined in claim 9, said stop means comprising surfacemeans arranged in the path of said projecting free ends of said springmeans in movement of said lever toward said opening in unlatchedposition.

1. A closure device comprising, in combination, a housing, closure meansmovably secured to said housing for movement between closed and openpositions relative to said housing, and latching means for releasablysecuring said closure means and said housing in closed assembly, saidlatching means comprising a catch on said housing, upper and lowerjournal bearing means formed on said closure means defining a pivot axisand each comprising spaced journal bearings, said upper and lowerjournal bearing means defining a laterally extending openingtherebetween, a lever having one end thereof formed with oppositelaterally projecting pivot pins, said pivot pins arranged in saidjournal bearings in separable engagement therewith, said lever beingturnable about said pivot axis between latched and uNlatched positions,said lever being movable through said opening when in unlatched positionfor assembly and disassembly from said closure means, and elongatedspring means pivotally secured at one end to said lever and engageableat its other end with said housing catch, said spring means beingmovable into latched and unlatched positions upon turning of said leverabout said pivot axis in snap-over-center movements.
 2. A device asdefined in claim 1, the journal bearings of said upper journal bearingmeans being laterally spaced from the journal bearings of said lowerjournal bearing means.
 3. A device as defined in claim 1, the journalbearings of said upper journal bearing means being spaced laterallyinwardly from the journal bearings of said lower journal bearing means.4. A device as defined in claim 1, said spring means being detachablysecured at said one end to said lever, and stop means on said closuremeans adjacent said lever for preventing movement of said spring meansthrough said opening with said lever, whereby disassembly of said leverfrom said closure means is enabled only after detachment of said springmeans therefrom.
 5. A device as defined in claim 3, said lever at saidone end having projecting retaining means arranged outwardly adjacentsaid upper journal bearings.
 6. A device as defined in claim 5, saidprojecting pivot pins having recessed end portions for clearing saidlower journal bearing means when said lever is moved through saidopening in unlatched position.
 7. A device as defined in claim 6, saidpivot pins having recessed portions inwardly of said end portions forclearing said upper journal bearing means when said lever is movedthrough said opening in unlatched position.
 8. A device as defined inclaim 1, said catch comprising a projection integral with said housing.9. A device as defined in claim 1, said elongated spring means being inbent generally U-shaped form having a bight portion engageable with saidhousing catch and having laterally extending free ends detachablyconnected to said lever and projecting laterally therefrom, and stopmeans on said closure means adjacent said lever for preventing movementof said spring means through said opening with said lever, wherebydisassembly of said lever from said closure means is enabled only afterdetachment of said spring means therefrom.
 10. A device as defined inclaim 9, said stop means comprising surface means arranged in the pathof said projecting free ends of said spring means in movement of saidlever toward said opening in unlatched position.